Not So Beach Burrito in Newtown

It’s not on the beach, but the famous burrito house has now opened its fourth taco canteen on the other side of town.

Photography: George Popov

1/10

Photography: George Popov

1/10

Photography: George Popov

1/10

Published on 08 December 2011

by Nicola Heath

Share

Beach Burrito Company’s Newtown restaurant – sitting discreetly off the street at the junction of King Street and Enmore Road and kitted out in Latin American Catholic kitsch – may be the new kid on the block, but you wouldn’t know it. Since it opened a few weeks back in November, every night has been a full house.

Sydney’s love affair with Mexican cuisine has moved past the dizzy honeymoon days and settled into a strong and steady relationship. A case in point: the first Beach Burrito opened in Bondi in 2007 and since then has opened in Coogee, Cronulla, and now Newtown. Chris Frape, the manager of the King Street store, is confident that Mexican food will maintain its popularity.

“I don’t think it is going to go away,” says Frape, who has worked in seven other Mexican restaurants in Sydney before taking up with Beach Burrito Company three years ago. “It’s practical, healthy and you can eat it with your hands.”

The obvious point of difference between the Newtown Beach Burrito and its coastal cousins is the absence of any nearby beach. The focus of this inner-west outpost is, fittingly, skate and street culture and there are plans to show street artists’ work at the restaurant.

The menu covers all the classics from the titular burrito to quesadillas, taquitos and tacos. Vegetarians need not miss out, with a tofu and slow roasted veg option for each dish.

The frozen margarita is the star of the drinks list but Coronas come five in a bucket and you can choose from a range of cocktails and other Mexican beers.

Another drawcard, if you needed one, are the regular DJ nights. A revolving roster of Sydney’s most serious vinyl collectors will be spinning records, making Newtown’s Beach Burrito a prime spot for a relaxed night out.